Does More Seat-Time Equal More Success?

[@kurzhaarguy]

Always like your videos and your thoughts. Old northern Wisconsinite again. Gotta start at the beginning I’ve been hunting, fishing, trapping, fly tying, dog training, and God knows what as long as I can recall. As a kid I loved those early snows just to spend the day seeing who went where. Along the way, I listened to old, young, and the same age. And what I learned on my own I applied and combined. Seems there’s always a new thought. But, as my old man told me, “if you want a new thought, read an old book.” What I’ve come to know is that 99% of the time, 1% of the people are attending to 99% of subject. What I mean is, serious woodsman are always in the same place. That’s true with heavy crowds and short populations even more. You hit the nail on the head: it depends. 1. Carefully map out your area (spring best). Look for sheds, rubs, scrapes, food, cover, water and get it ALL on a map. 2. Study the map for topographical, floral, and water features that connect them. 3. Study how changing winds, rain, heat, cold, will affect the whole area AND each micro center. 4. Figure out entrance and exit with two or three alternatives for each wind/weather condition. You’ll always get dinked up. 5. March the movement graph he’s showing here: understand they are moving more because of does. The routes between buck sign and high population sign are your targets during peak movement. 6. Every hour matters during peak hours. Toss out the 10-2 BS. 7. Study the weather! One thing has changed dramatically. If you don’t understand wind, temperature, pressure, thermals, humidity, to name a few, study. Make your approach and exit DRIVEN by those facts. 8. If it’s unusually hot or outside peak movement periods, still hunt. Wind in your face. Edges of buck cover and travel with wind never crossing into either. If you realize you fucked up, and you will, get out straight line fast right through everything. 9. When still hunting look under cover on your sides carefully. They’ll watch you walk by and intentionally stage it. 10. Have fun!

[@samp3087]

Great topic and I agree. I got was all wrapped up in the "only hunt a stand once" crowd for a while and I have learned that I missed opportunities to kill my target bucks by not being there more often.

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@samp3087 yeah if it’s the right spot and situation, you can absolutely hunt a stand multiple times.

[@RamBo-uu9so]

Deer at my stand: 90 percent between 9:45-1pm. Mornings 5 percent, evening 5 percent. In my area.

[@whitetailwarriorsdeercamp88]

Great video when I’m up at camp (Michigan’s U.P) I sit all day every rifle season. Deer density like you said is low. Hunting big woods is a whole different ball game. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@whitetailwarriorsdeercamp88 you bet thanks for watching

[@jaredschaefer-gx7hz]

Great info! You nailed it on the head…access is so often overlooked! If you have good access and don’t get busted in the stand, you’ll find success.

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@jaredschaefer-gx7hz yep- thanks for watching and the comment 👍🏻

[@daveguttormson6315]

People that follow you really need to pay attention to your messages. Straight up good,honest info. Kudos.

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@daveguttormson6315 hey thanks I appreciate the note- take care

[@campbenny]

Great big woods hunting wisdom 👍🏼 Thanks for sharing

[@northernforestwhitetail]

You bet thanks for watching!

[@jasonmeyer4587]

I agree. Big woods, low deer density, and low hunter density public lands, especially during the rut - more time on stand will increase your odds of seeing the bucks traveling looking for does. In these areas I was always under the impression bucks travel more and greater distances in checking does than in high deer density areas. However, I used to pound my hunting areas too much in pressuring bedding and feeding areas scouting etc.. I now try to not disturb bedding areas and other areas and limit in-season scouting and have strategic access to strategically placed stands and maximize time on stand sometimes with other hunting members relieving each other.

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@jasonmeyer4587 yep thanks for sharing

[@richarddean3154]

Years ago, I found a rut travel corridor in southeast Minnesota. Every year, I see Pope and Young whitetails from this stand during the last week in October and the first week in November. How do I find spots like this in the middle of the woods without using trail cameras?

[@rickwarner4102]

...When im in my tree i keep telling myself "the longer i sit without seeing a deer, means im that much closer to seeing one" and it helps when you sit dark to dark...

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@rickwarner4102 that’s wise logic. Thanks for sharing

[@craiglakatos3742]

You are exactly right - most of us hunters dont own land and most of us hunters need to work (a lot) just to get by. About as “surgical” as my choice of when to hunt is able to be is: when is my wife willing to handle all of the kids activities solo for a couple days and when can I get off work for a couple days?

[@northernforestwhitetail]

@@craiglakatos3742 yep